Dear Papa

 

Let me tell you about my papa

Born in the 50’s, he belonged to the future

Not because he was tech savvy

But because he was prejudice free

In my growing years, he was strict

Always telling me, to be a man

Not because he wanted a boy

But because he knew I can, do everything that a man can (and more)

He taught me how to swim, how to ride a bike

He taught me how to deal with annoying people and their petty politics

With a smile, with music, with dance, and telling them, ‘to just go take a hike’

In my teenage years and early twenties

He didn’t reign me in, nor was he the terror dad

All my boyfriends loved him, because he really was the world’s coolest dad

Every time the world was against me

Telling me not to do this or that

He was the one standing behind me, telling me,

Don’t worry, go for it, I’ve got your back

Father and Daughters have a special bond, they say

But for both his daughters, our papa, our popeye was more

He was a soulmate, our anchor, our ideal, our hero

Now, a month later, since his death

On Father’s day, there is a tightness in my breath

I miss him so much that I want to cry and do nothing

But then I think of him and how he hid his sorrows, his pain

With his cheeky smiles, his drinking, singing and dancing

And I tell myself to be strong, for him

I would like to believe he is in a better place

Finally living his fantasy or being reborn as a King someplace

So dear papa, on this father’s day,

I’m toasting you, saying Cheers, with a promise

That I won’t let your memories fade away

As I think of you and send you a kiss

 

Copyright @Prachi Pati